Number 68
by writingwhimseys
Summary: It seems like Zack is always gone lately. And when he's away, he's all the more prevalent in Aerith's mind. So she writes him a letter; a special one. Number 68, to be exact. Rated K-plus, AerithXZack romance  kind of
1. What To Say

Disclaimer: I don't own FFVII:Crisis Core or any other FFVII stuff. One can dream, can't they?

A/N: I'm currently going through a Crisis Core fangirl phase, and it has been quite enjoyable. I have a number of fanfics centered around FFVII (particularly Crisis Core) coming soon, so stay tuned! Love Aerith and Zack together (Cloud stole Zach's girlfriend, it's true) so I wrote this quick one. Enjoy :)

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><p>Aerith gently dumped the pot of water she held over her flowers in an arch. The droplets splashed off the golden petals, twinkling in the shaft of sunlight that shone through the broken roof of the church. Bending down and fingering the petals and leaves of her flowers, Aerith thought of the digging and watering and gentle weeding that she did to take care of them. She loved flowers; a bright spray of color and life in the slums of Midgar. But they were uncommon. These were some of the only flowers around, and it took work to make them grow, just like many other things.<p>

Reaching for the blooms, Aerith pulled a handful of the flowers out of the earth, brushing the dirt off the roots. She carried them back to her flower cart and began to tie them together. The little wagon was still as beautiful as the day she received it. Hands strong and sure had built and repaired its wooden frame. Those same hands were off somewhere, wielding its treasured sword. Aerith couldn't help but smile at the thought of it. At the same time, she wished he weren't so far away, all the time. Lately, he was never far from her thoughts. His smile, his steady hands, and the way they held hers….. Somehow, she could not get rid of his presence in her mind, especially when he was gone.

She sighed, thinking of the letters she sent him. The thought gave her an idea. Reaching between the baskets in her cart, Aerith pulled out a simple, flowered notebook and a pencil. Sitting down beside her cart, she opened up the book to a new page.

_Diary,_

_I don't write in here a lot. Most of the time, I forget. This time, I'm not sure why I'm writing. I suppose it's because I can't seem to get Zack off my mind. Maybe things would be easier if I wrote him a letter. I write him letters all the time when he's away. Sixty-seven so far; I've kept track. They seem more personal than an email, and I think they mean more to the receiver, too. Hopefully he gets them; I've never really asked. I don't know if I'd want to send this one, though. Not yet, at least. Still, it's easier to write things out than explain them sometimes._

She paused.

_Maybe it would work this time, too?_

Hesitantly, she turned to a fresh page, her pencil poised over the blank paper. What would she say? Her mind was filled with thought she could write. She took a deep breath, and focused on how she really felt about him, and what she would want to say to him, if he were there in front of her, listening and watching her as she tried to explain. Slowly, the words came to her, and her steady hand began to write.


	2. The Letter

Dear Zack,

I haven't seen you in a while. I guess I should expect it, with you being a SOLDIER. I wish you'd come around more often, though. Do you remember the last time I called you? You said you'd come. I hope you get here soon.

Remember the day you fell through my sky and landed in the church? You talked in your sleep and mumbled things. I wasn't sure who you were. In fact, I was a little scared. I've always been nervous of the sky; the things that fell out of it were never good things, except for the rain. But never before had the sky dropped a person. And in my church, as well. I didn't know what to expect. But then I called out and you opened your eyes. And something changed. I knew you weren't bad.

You seem to be away a lot lately. The last time you came by was months ago. Have you been busy? I know things have been hard since your mentor Angeal died. It was as if the light in you went out, even just for a few minutes. When you cried, my heart broke for you. I wanted nothing more than to hold you and be there for you, so you would not have to feel alone. I'm sure you did anyway. Grief stays with you no matter where you go and who you're with; only time can soften it completely. I hope you're doing better.

The flowers have been blooming well lately. They look beautiful, and people seem to really enjoy them. You should see the smiles they bring to peoples' faces when they buy them. I would have never thought of selling them if you hadn't helped. If it weren't for you, the flowers would've remained hidden, and Midgar would be that much less happy. They need all the happiness they can find right now.

I hope you come back someday soon. You still have my wish, I hope. It gets a bit lonely around here when you're gone. Even the flowers seem to be a little less colorful. When you're gone, I miss your jokes and stories while I'm working, and your hands that fix my cart when the wheels come loose. I miss your eyes, the color of the sky. The longer you're gone, the more I wish you'd come back to say hello. In case anything happens to me or you, know that I love you. It's a funny thing to say so simply, but it's true.

I hope wherever you are, you are safe. I miss you. Come visit soon. I'll be waiting.

Aerith


End file.
